“Attack on democracy”: Three arrests after explosion near office of right-wing AfD party in Germany

A device exploded in front of an Alternative for Germany (AfD) party office in Döbeln, Deutsche Welle reports.

The heavy explosion took place on Thursday at 7:20 pm, and “sounded like an attack on its office” the AfD says at its Facebook page.

“The fact that there’s only material damage is a wonder and the political motivation behind the attack is being investigated,” the statement continues.

In the meantime three men were arrested on suspicion of committing a politically motivated attack. They are 29, 32 and 50-years-old and may soon be released as the public prosecutor did not make an application for detention, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

Accordingly, there would be no sufficient grounds for detention, such as a risk of absconding. The men are still considered suspects.

AfD leader Alice Weidel said she was “deeply shocked” and called the act an “attack on democracy”.

In the same region there were other attacks on AfD facilities as well, most recently there were attacks in Eilenburg and Riesa.